1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for combing, straightening and cleaning the metal fins on heat exchangers that are used in condensers and evaporators for air conditioning and refrigeration systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
The heat exchangers for condensers and evaporators for air conditioning and refrigeration systems are provided with numerous metal fins that increase the heat transfer from the cooling coils in the units to the atmosphere. The condensers for air conditioning systems are generally located in unprotected locations on the outside of a building. The metal fins on the condensers are often bent by impacts from hail or garden equipment such as lawn mowers. When the fins are bent, they become less efficient at transferring heat from the cooling coils in the units to the atmosphere. For this reason, it is desirable to straighten the fins back to their original configuration.
The prior method for straightening metal fins on heat exchangers involved the use of a stationary comb with teeth that were manually pulled down between the adjacent metal fins. Straightening metal fins with a stationary comb requires the use of considerable force and is a difficult and time-consuming task.
The present invention is a new device for straightening metal fins with a vibrating comb. The vibrating comb moves easily between the adjacent fins and straightens them without requiring the force that is needed with a stationary, non-vibrating comb.
The vibration for the device is provided by a vibrator located in the base of the device. The vibrator is powered either by electric line current or a battery installed in the base of the device. The user may adjust the speed of vibration with a dial located on the base of the device.
The device is provided with several different sizes of interchangeable, detachable combs to accommodate different spacing between metal fins.